Acts 23
Because of attempts to kill Paul, he is taken to Caesarea to await trial.
Jesus says, "I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). This certainly describes Paul. As he stands before the Jewish Council, Paul knows that his life is in peril. He also knows that the Council is divided between Pharisees, who believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the Sadducees, who do not. When Paul deliberately brings up that issue, the ensuing dissension is so great that the soldiers take him away, thwarting the immediate plot against him.
PRAYER
It is by grace through faith that we can repent, turn to God, and give Him our praise:
You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created. (Revelation 4:11)
I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17)
Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
And according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)
Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8)
As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
Spiritual victory over temptation
Opportunities to serve the Lord
Whatever else is on your heart
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Thus says the Lord:
"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising loving-
kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight," says the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Considering the Gospel as the power of God
More than likely, you’d like to pray with more confidence.
If so, remember that to pray with confidence, we must pray with concern, we must pray with confession, and we must pray with conviction.
What does it mean to pray with conviction? In Nehemiah 1:5-6, Nehemiah prays, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant….”
In this passage, Nehemiah is praying with conviction because he knows that his God is in control.
When it seemed like everything was out of control in Jerusalem, Nehemiah knew that God was still on His throne. Nehemiah knew that the Lord would answer his prayer because He was a great and awesome God. Because He was a wonderful God. Because He was a faithful God. Because He was a God who could meet all of Nehemiah’s needs.
And in just the same way, God can handle any problem in your life. Do you believe that today?
God is bigger and greater than any situation or crisis in your life. And the first thing Nehemiah did is the first thing that you ought to do when you have a problem, a crisis, or a need: You need to turn it over to God. You need to give it to God, not as your last chance, but as your first choice!
When you know God’s place, you can find your place in the work of Jesus Christ. When you know that God is above all and that He has everything under control… and when you know that your place is surrendered under the lordship of Christ, then you can find your place and know your prayers will be answered!
GOD CAN HANDLE ANY PROBLEM IN YOUR LIFE.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TODAY?
If so, remember that to pray with confidence, we must pray with concern, we must pray with confession, and we must pray with conviction.
What does it mean to pray with conviction? In Nehemiah 1:5-6, Nehemiah prays, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant….”
In this passage, Nehemiah is praying with conviction because he knows that his God is in control.
When it seemed like everything was out of control in Jerusalem, Nehemiah knew that God was still on His throne. Nehemiah knew that the Lord would answer his prayer because He was a great and awesome God. Because He was a wonderful God. Because He was a faithful God. Because He was a God who could meet all of Nehemiah’s needs.
And in just the same way, God can handle any problem in your life. Do you believe that today?
God is bigger and greater than any situation or crisis in your life. And the first thing Nehemiah did is the first thing that you ought to do when you have a problem, a crisis, or a need: You need to turn it over to God. You need to give it to God, not as your last chance, but as your first choice!
When you know God’s place, you can find your place in the work of Jesus Christ. When you know that God is above all and that He has everything under control… and when you know that your place is surrendered under the lordship of Christ, then you can find your place and know your prayers will be answered!
GOD CAN HANDLE ANY PROBLEM IN YOUR LIFE.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TODAY?
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The Path of Brokenness
John 12:24
Today’s verse gives a beautiful illustration of brokenness: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” That is, only by falling and breaking can a single grain produce a rich crop. If it remains isolated and protected, it will never produce anything.
That’s how the Lord works to mature His children. He breaks us in order to bring spiritual growth and supernatural ministry into our lives. And the process is always the same:
He targets the areas in which we are not submissive to Him.
He arranges the circumstances and selects the tools with which to break self-sufficiency.
He controls the pressure and timing of those circumstances to bring us back into His will.
If we refuse to be re-formed through this brokenness and instead cling to whatever God wants us to release, then He will put us on the shelf. Just like the single, unbroken grain of wheat, we will become fruitless and alone. Yet we resist brokenness at every turn. We want to hang on to the things we think bring joy. We want to persist in relationships that are stunting our spiritual growth. We want to take the path of least resistance and hope that God will bless our laziness. My friend, this is not the road to maturity that our Father has prepared for us.
Brokenness hurts. The Word, however, proclaims that it hurts far more not to be broken. Don’t be distracted by short-term happiness. Look where your Father is leading you and let Him do whatever it takes to get you there.
Today’s verse gives a beautiful illustration of brokenness: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” That is, only by falling and breaking can a single grain produce a rich crop. If it remains isolated and protected, it will never produce anything.
That’s how the Lord works to mature His children. He breaks us in order to bring spiritual growth and supernatural ministry into our lives. And the process is always the same:
He targets the areas in which we are not submissive to Him.
He arranges the circumstances and selects the tools with which to break self-sufficiency.
He controls the pressure and timing of those circumstances to bring us back into His will.
If we refuse to be re-formed through this brokenness and instead cling to whatever God wants us to release, then He will put us on the shelf. Just like the single, unbroken grain of wheat, we will become fruitless and alone. Yet we resist brokenness at every turn. We want to hang on to the things we think bring joy. We want to persist in relationships that are stunting our spiritual growth. We want to take the path of least resistance and hope that God will bless our laziness. My friend, this is not the road to maturity that our Father has prepared for us.
Brokenness hurts. The Word, however, proclaims that it hurts far more not to be broken. Don’t be distracted by short-term happiness. Look where your Father is leading you and let Him do whatever it takes to get you there.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Take Heart
TAKE HEART
Read Esther 8:1--8
The king's heart is like mush, like soft putty, or we could say like Play-Doh in the hands of the Lord. Just for a moment imagine another name in that proverb in place of "the king." Someone who is giving you grief perhaps. It may be one of your own grown, wayward children. Maybe it's someone who represents a formidable presence. Someone who haunts you and maybe wishes to bring you down. Stubborn person, right? Strong-hearted individual, correct? Imagine that heart that is so hard, so granitelike, changing into soft putty in the hands of the Lord. It's possible! There is no heart so stubborn that it cannot become breakable in the hands of the Lord.
Many years ago, in another place and at another time in my life, I went through a dreadful experience with a person who decided to make me his enemy. I still don't know why. It remains a mystery. Nevertheless, it occurred. This individual decided to make my life miserable. He watched my every move. He questioned my decisions. He cast doubts on my ministry. This person applied pressure, sometimes to the point where I thought I would scream. I don't know how much he said to others. I never asked. But he said enough to me and was bullying and intimidating enough that I became frightened, especially when I realized he carried a gun. Eventually, on one occasion, he threatened me with it.
One bitterly cold Sunday after church, I went home and fell across our bed, not even taking off my overcoat. I cried out to the Lord. I wept audibly until I could not cry another tear. I had come to my wit's end. I was exhausted, trying everything I knew to do to bring about a change. Nothing changed! This man had a heart like King Ahasuerus.
There is no wall so strong that Almighty God is not stronger still. There is no will so stubborn that He is not able to soften it. If God can change the heart of an Ahasuerus, He can change any heart---any heart! Read that again. You who live your days intimidated and threatened, anxious over the falling of the next shoe, listen to this counsel! God is able to take the heart of anyone and change it, just as He did with the heart of this king.
Yes, anyone.
Read Esther 8:1--8
The king's heart is like mush, like soft putty, or we could say like Play-Doh in the hands of the Lord. Just for a moment imagine another name in that proverb in place of "the king." Someone who is giving you grief perhaps. It may be one of your own grown, wayward children. Maybe it's someone who represents a formidable presence. Someone who haunts you and maybe wishes to bring you down. Stubborn person, right? Strong-hearted individual, correct? Imagine that heart that is so hard, so granitelike, changing into soft putty in the hands of the Lord. It's possible! There is no heart so stubborn that it cannot become breakable in the hands of the Lord.
Many years ago, in another place and at another time in my life, I went through a dreadful experience with a person who decided to make me his enemy. I still don't know why. It remains a mystery. Nevertheless, it occurred. This individual decided to make my life miserable. He watched my every move. He questioned my decisions. He cast doubts on my ministry. This person applied pressure, sometimes to the point where I thought I would scream. I don't know how much he said to others. I never asked. But he said enough to me and was bullying and intimidating enough that I became frightened, especially when I realized he carried a gun. Eventually, on one occasion, he threatened me with it.
One bitterly cold Sunday after church, I went home and fell across our bed, not even taking off my overcoat. I cried out to the Lord. I wept audibly until I could not cry another tear. I had come to my wit's end. I was exhausted, trying everything I knew to do to bring about a change. Nothing changed! This man had a heart like King Ahasuerus.
There is no wall so strong that Almighty God is not stronger still. There is no will so stubborn that He is not able to soften it. If God can change the heart of an Ahasuerus, He can change any heart---any heart! Read that again. You who live your days intimidated and threatened, anxious over the falling of the next shoe, listen to this counsel! God is able to take the heart of anyone and change it, just as He did with the heart of this king.
Yes, anyone.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Solitude: A Vital Factor in Growing Closer to God
I often smile when I read the Gospel of Mark. He loved the word "immediately." It appears again and again. Mark reminds us that Jesus's life was packed with people and pressure like you and I have never known. But he also records that "in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there" (Mark 1:35).
Why did he do that? Was He a morning person? Not necessarily. Morning was the only time He could be alone. The next verses say they hunted for Him even then and when they found Him said, "Everyone is looking for You" (1:36-37).
A paraphrase would read "Jesus, You can't stay out here by Yourself. Man, You're needed back here!" but Jesus needed the solitude of that early morning talk with His father to filter things out-and my friends, so do we.
Solitude is good for us. Our natural tendency is to always have people around, always have stuff going on, but let me be candid: I've never learned anything all that significant in a crowd. I love to be with people, but solitude helps filter out the essentials and sift away the nonessentials. Life kind of makes up its mind in solitude.
If the truth were known, some of you live on the ragged edge because you continually deal with people, demands, expectations, children pulling at you, friends, schedules, and plans. You can't remember the last time you spent absolutely alone. . . . I know whereof I speak.
Sometimes it's a walk around the block for me. Sometimes it's a long walk. But I'll tell you, every time it happens, it's deliberate. No one has ever said to me, "You need to get alone for a while." No, this is a choice we all have to make.
I can just hear some of you wondering, "What do I do when I'm alone?"
I have found that one of the best uses of my time in solitude is keeping a journal. Webster's defines a journal as "a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use."1 I want you to consider keeping one too. You'll find it keeps you from losing the best things you gain in your solitude, and that's what draws you closer to God's heart.
If you will allow me this final thought: You owe it to God, you owe it to yourself, and you owe it to those you love the most to make solitude a deliberate choice in your life. It'll take an adjustment to your schedule, but it will make a meaningful difference in your life.
Why did he do that? Was He a morning person? Not necessarily. Morning was the only time He could be alone. The next verses say they hunted for Him even then and when they found Him said, "Everyone is looking for You" (1:36-37).
A paraphrase would read "Jesus, You can't stay out here by Yourself. Man, You're needed back here!" but Jesus needed the solitude of that early morning talk with His father to filter things out-and my friends, so do we.
Solitude is good for us. Our natural tendency is to always have people around, always have stuff going on, but let me be candid: I've never learned anything all that significant in a crowd. I love to be with people, but solitude helps filter out the essentials and sift away the nonessentials. Life kind of makes up its mind in solitude.
If the truth were known, some of you live on the ragged edge because you continually deal with people, demands, expectations, children pulling at you, friends, schedules, and plans. You can't remember the last time you spent absolutely alone. . . . I know whereof I speak.
Sometimes it's a walk around the block for me. Sometimes it's a long walk. But I'll tell you, every time it happens, it's deliberate. No one has ever said to me, "You need to get alone for a while." No, this is a choice we all have to make.
I can just hear some of you wondering, "What do I do when I'm alone?"
I have found that one of the best uses of my time in solitude is keeping a journal. Webster's defines a journal as "a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use."1 I want you to consider keeping one too. You'll find it keeps you from losing the best things you gain in your solitude, and that's what draws you closer to God's heart.
If you will allow me this final thought: You owe it to God, you owe it to yourself, and you owe it to those you love the most to make solitude a deliberate choice in your life. It'll take an adjustment to your schedule, but it will make a meaningful difference in your life.
Monday, September 8, 2008
I meet God in the Morning
I Meet God in the Morning
The earth is the Lord’s
and the fullness thereof ,
It speaks of His greatness ,
it sings of his love ,
And each day at dawning
I lift my heart high
And raise up my eyes
to the infinite sky …
I see the dew glisten
in crystal-like splendor
While God , with a touch
that is gentle and tender ,
Wraps up the night
and softly tucks it away
And hangs out the sun
to herald a new day ,
A day yet unblemished
by what’s gone before ,
A chance to begin
and start over once more ,
And all I need do
is to silently pray ,
God , help me and guide me
and go with me today.
Jan Bagwell
God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame
The earth is the Lord’s
and the fullness thereof ,
It speaks of His greatness ,
it sings of his love ,
And each day at dawning
I lift my heart high
And raise up my eyes
to the infinite sky …
I see the dew glisten
in crystal-like splendor
While God , with a touch
that is gentle and tender ,
Wraps up the night
and softly tucks it away
And hangs out the sun
to herald a new day ,
A day yet unblemished
by what’s gone before ,
A chance to begin
and start over once more ,
And all I need do
is to silently pray ,
God , help me and guide me
and go with me today.
Jan Bagwell
God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame
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